Automatic discharge means for dehydrators



W, MEREDITH. AUTOMATIC DISCHARGE MEANS FOR DEHYDHATORS'. yAPPLICATION rlLlD` ocr. 28, 1920..

l ,429, 363 Patented Sept. 19, 1922.,

5y 2% @JJ Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

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wYNN MRREDITH, or ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNOR `|ro PETROLEUM REC'I'IFY- ING COMPANY, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION or CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC DISCl'iLARGrE` MEANS FOR DEHYDRATORS.

Application filed October 28, 1920. Serial No. 420,246.

To all whom t may concern.'

.Bc it known that I, WYNN MERRDITH, a citizen of the, United States, and resident of the city and county-of Alameda, State of California, have invented new .and useful Improvements in Automatic Dlscharge Means for Dehydrators, of which the following is a specification. 2\

My invention has for its object means for controlling the discharge from dehydrators whereby a desired level of Oil 1n the dehydrator is retained at all times vto preventthe trapping of gas or vapors from vthe treated emulsion inV theI contalner or treatment chamber, which trapping lof vapors has heretofore proved a iire menace due to the inllammability of the said vapors, especially in the presence of an electrical discharge. ate dehydrators of this type without material internal pressure, maintaining merely upon them sufficient pressurek to facilitate' the circulation of the emulsion being treated, and due to the difference in specific gravity of the emulsion during different periods of its treatment, and the. deslrabllity of withdrawing the treated oil from the treatment chamber,I it has heretofore proven dicult to `control the voutflow so as to prevent the trapping of the said vapors. ivry invention is particularly applicable to the closed type of electric dehydrator wherein the said dehydrator. takes place within a closed chamber to prevent the escape of the valuable hydrocarbon vapors. Other Objects will be 'observed from the drawings and s ecications which follow.

Referring to t e drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates, somewhat diagrammatically, a 'closed electric dehydrator elnploying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectiony of my adjustable discharge device.

Throughout the figures similar' numerals refer to identical parts.

VThe dehydration or treatment chamber is indicated by the numeral 1 having electrodes therein and suitable electrical connections and operating device in the compartment 2 formed on the top thereof of the chamber 1.

At 3 isa discharge pipe of relatively 'l large dimensions connected to the chamber 1 near its lower part and rising to and pro- It is advisable to oper-- vided with an outlet sleeve 4 of smaller diameter. .The sleeve 4 is threaded on its exterior, preferably throughout its'length, and is in threaded engagement with the reducer 5 so that' by rotating ythe sleeve 4 its top,- or discharge outlet 6, may raise or lower with respect to the dehydrating chamber l; The threaded products from the dehydrator l may therefore be caused to flow through the outlet 6 by raising or lowering the sleeve 4 to adjust its position of discharge with. respect Vto the top 7 of the dehydrator 1 so that the pressure of the emulsion in the treatment chamber 1 will cause a dischar e through the outlet 6. This discharge o curs within the box 8, having a loose cover\therefover at 9 and from the boX 8 will be caused to flow by gravity.

through the outlet pipe at 10, after which the treated products are conveyed to settling tanks not shown but well known whereinthe treated oil and water separate out by gravity. It will be observed that the column 3 and inlet 11 are of relatively large diameter so that as the products from the hydrocarbon oils descends into the treatment chamber 1 they will undergo partial separation, there beinga layer of water upon the bottom of the chamber l, which will discharge to the exclusion of oil until such `ltime as the oil body in the chamber 1 above the said water layer will fall to the top of the outletll at which time oil globules will flow into the pipe 3 and will rise lthere-through and discharge at the outlet 6 into the box 8. There will thus be maintained at all times a flow of all of the water down ,to the level' of' the outlet and any further outflow will be from the oilbody raised upon the said water layer. yIt will thus be seen with the discharge means of my invention there will be discharged the maximum water contents-supplemented by treated oil and that these in their partially 4- separated condition will flowv freely from the Outlets 6 in its adjusted position just suflicicnt to maintain the container filled with the emulsion to the level of its top 7 regardless of the variations in iow from the Oil inlet pipe 12 or of the specific gravities of the emulsion during the treatment in the chamber 1, and 'this will occur without the trapping of any vapors inthe treatment chamber or elsewhere.

Reference is herein made to my copending' applications Serial Nos. 420,244 and 420,245, tiled @ctober 28, 1920.

ll claim:

1. `ln combination with an emulsion de-` hydration chamber, a pipe connection to the lower part of said chamber and rising therefrom, an outlet member adjustably connected 4to said pipe whereby the elevation of the discharge from said pipe and said member may be varied to maintain the chamber full and without substantial pres-4` sure therein.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim l and a receptacle surroundingsaid outlet member trap partially separated oil and water substantially as and for the purpose described.

t. Apparatus as set forth in claim l where- .in the pipe and its port to the chamber are of relatively large cross section and a receptacle surrounding said outlet member adapted to catch the overflow from said outlet and drain means tor said receptacle substantially as and tor the purpose set forth.

5. Dehydration apparatus comprising' a chamber and means therein for treating an emulsion, an outlet pipe from said chamber and disposed on the lower side thereof, said outlet pipe directed upward and provided with an adjustable outlet normally disposed slightly above the top of the chamber, a receptacle into vwhich treated emulsion overflows from said pipe outlet and a duet tor draining said receptacle as and tor the purpose set forth.

WYNN MlEltlEDl'lH. 

